Power to the Powerless
by Wondrously Bookish
Summary: Harry is a broken orphan who is told that he's nothing. Ron is a youngest son who is often overlooked. Hermione is a muggle-born with nothing to lose. When they begin at Hogwarts, how will their lives change?
1. Harry's Arrival

_A/N: Hey readers! Here is chapter one of my new fic. This is mostly a test to see what the people of think of the idea, so be sure to review when you've finished reading so I know whether or not to continue writing it!_

When Harry Potter arrived at King's Cross Station on September 1, he had no idea what he was in for. Just a few days earlier, a very large man had broken down the Dursleys' door, wished him a happy birthday, and told him he was a wizard. As if that wasn't enough to make the eleven-year-old's head spin, the same man had revealed to him an amazing world that one could only find in a child's dreams.

When he was a baby, he had been orphaned when his parents were killed. He had been left with his only remaining family— the Dursleys. Harry had grown up in a house that had taught him that he was to be silent, obedient, and, above all, that he was nothing. For his entire conscious life, despite living in his aunt's house, Harry had been terribly and completely alone.

Even now, as he pushed his cart through the bustling train station, Harry felt the familiar sense of isolation following him like a dark cloud. He passed the sign for platform nine and looked ahead to the similar one for platform ten. Puzzled, he turned sharply and looked again at the sign behind him. There was no "Platform 9 ¾." Harry gave a resigned sigh. _I should have known it was too good to be true,_ he thought. Hoping that there was a chance that he was mistaken, Harry waved one of the employees of the station over.

"How may I help you, young man?", he asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me where I might find Platform 9 ¾," Harry replied.

The man gave a perplexed expression. "There is no Platform 9 ¾," he chuckled.

Harry looked down at the floor, mumbled a "thanks" and found his way to a bench, off to the side. _Of course there's no Platform 9 ¾,_ he thought. _This is probably just another one of Dudley's pranks_. Harry's eyes began to fill with tears.

"Are you alright, dear?", a woman's voice said. Harry looked up, wiping at his eyes.

"Fine, thanks," he replied, half of him hoping that she would accept his answer and leave and the other half wishing that she would stay.

"Are you, by chance, looking for Platform 9 ¾?", she asked. Harry inhaled sharply, debating whether the woman was serious.

"How did you know?", he asked, suspicious.

"You have a cart with a trunk and an owl in a cage," she replied. "Not many regular children push around such luggage." Harry smiled slightly at this comment, still making no move to stand. "It's just this way, Ronald here is starting at Hogwarts too." At this, Harry glanced at the red-haired boy standing next to the woman. He grinned and Harry stood up, following the woman and walking next to the boy.

"You can just call me Ron," he said, shaking his head. "My brothers are starting their third year." Ron gestured to two identical red-haired boys behind them, currently swerving their carts into each other.

At this point, the group was standing in front of the wall in between Platforms 9 and 10. Harry was surprised when the twins pushed their way to the front and ran directly at the wall, but he was shocked when they disappeared into it. He looked to the woman in disbelief.

"Go on," she said reassuringly. "Just run as fast as you can." Harry nodded, still too amazed to speak, and took a deep breath before running at the wall. He squeezed his eyes shut just before he made impact, or rather, just before he _would have_ made impact, reopening them when he didn't crash.

Harry's jaw dropped. The Platform was crowded with children of all ages and their tearful parents. Catching sight of the train Harry moved nearer to it. It gleamed red and black, the words "Hogwarts Express" painted in beautiful gold lettering on its engine. Harry felt someone tap his shoulder and looked behind him to see Ron and his mother.

They walked to one of the cars and Ron hugged his mother goodbye. She reminded him to write, but somehow Harry assumed that he would likely forget. He waved to the kind woman and boarded the train after Ron, following him through the car until they came to an empty compartment.

 _A/N: Ok it's kinda late, so I'm going to pause here. Don't worry, if you guys like it so far, I'll write the next chapter. I know that it's really similar to the actual story, but it's about to take a huge turn, so stay tuned. As always, have an adequate day._ _ **Wondrously Bookish**_


	2. A Hat That Spoils Secrets

_A/N: Alrighty. Here is chapter two. Thank you to s2rocks and Radio Free Death for your input. Get ready for the major turn from canon! Please R &R_

As Harry settled into the rather comfortable bench aboard the Hogwarts Express, the train's bell sounded. Ron sat across from him, sighing. "So," he began, "how come your parents didn't bring you?" Harry turned from the window to face him.

"I haven't got any parents," he responded. Ron's face fell. "It's alright though," Harry added quickly. Just then, a girl burst into their compartment.

"Have either of you seen a toad?" she asked. "A boy called Neville's lost one." Both boys shook their head. The frizzy-haired, buck-toothed girl looked down the aisle a moment, then opened the door further. "I'm Hermione Granger," she told them, matter-of-factly. She gasped when she saw Harry. "You're Harry Potter!", she exclaimed.

She turned to Ron, "And you are?"

"Ron Weasley," he stated.

"Nice to meet you both," she said, before turning sharply on her heel and shutting the compartment door behind her. Ron looked at Harry.

"Ok then," he said, laughing slightly.

Several hours and hundreds of bad jokes later, Hogwarts Castle came into view. Both boys were instantly silent, marveling at the amazing structure. The train came to a stop and the students disembarked. The first years were gathered by Hagrid, and all of the children crossed the lake. Soon, they had reached the castle. All of the older students went in, while the first years waited in a large group just outside the Great Hall.

Quiet conversation could be heard throughout the mass of children and Harry almost didn't notice when the boy next to him tried to introduce himself. Harry turned to see a blond boy, holding out his hand for Harry to shake.

"Malfoy. Draco Malfoy," the boy said as Harry took his hand.

"Harry Potter," Harry replied. The boy turned to face forward again when the doors began to creak slowly open. The children at the front of the group began to move forward, following a stern-looking woman who had introduced herself as Professor McGonagall, and the rest followed suit, walking through the Great Hall.

As they walked, Harry recognized Ron's brothers, happily seated at the Gryffindor table. Suddenly, the group came to a halt. Harry focused his attention on the front of the room, where a large hat sat on a stool. The woman continued forward, up onto the platform, and unrolled a piece of parchment. "Andrews, Katherine," she called.

A girl with long blonde hair stepped forward and sat on the stool. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head and it began to speak. "Aha," it exclaimed. "A bright mind, but very trustworthy." The girl looked down at that comment. "GRYFFINDOR," it proclaimed. The girl slipped off the stool as the Gryffindor table erupted with cheers. Harry wondered which house he would be in.

During the long train ride to the school, Ron had explained each of the houses to Harry. According to Ron, the worst possible house was Slytherin, as apparently most of the wizards and witches in that house eventually practiced dark magic. But, Ron had told him, anything would be better in his case than Gryffindor. Ron seemed desperate to break away from the rest of the Weasleys. All of his siblings had been in Gryffindor. Why wouldn't he want to as well? Harry didn't dwell on this thought too long.

Soon Harry heard a familiar name that he was only able to place when he saw who it belonged to. "Granger, Hermione." Harry watched as the girl trudged up the steps, her hair bouncing as she went. She sat on the stool, looking up at the hat hesitantly as it made various "thinking" sounds. Eventually, it spoke.

"You are quick-witted and you thirst for knowledge. You would make an excellent Ravenclaw." The Ravenclaw table was almost to their feet. "But," the hat spoke again, "you are determined and unafraid of the means by which you might achieve your ends." The hat paused once more, every person in the room overflowing with anticipation.

"SLYTHERIN."

The girl stood and made her way to the Slytherin table. However, there were no cheers this time. Only whispers and the occasional hushed "mudblood." Hermione shot her housemates a glare that seemed to quiet them for the time being and the sorting resumed.

A set of triplets was sorted into Hufflepuff, a very short girl into Ravenclaw, and a few rowdy boys into Gryffindor. Nothing seemed extraordinary.

"Potter, Harry," the woman called. She smiled at him strangely as he walked up to the stool. The hat barely touched his head when it said "A Potter?" Harry raised his eyebrows and looked at the hat. "Both of your parents were in Gryffindor, Mr. Potter," it said. Harry didn't have to speak aloud because as soon as the thought entered his head, the hat was aware. "Ah, I could put you there. But, I see something else in your mind." Harry had no idea what the hat was talking about. When Ron had explained the houses, he had thought that he was best off in Gryffindor.

"You hate that you are nothing in the eyes of your family, do you?" that hat questioned. Harry was unsure of what to say. "You would do anything to regain what has been taken from you, would you not?" Harry was still speechless.

"SLYTHERIN."

The rest of the evening was a blur. At some point, Ron was also sorted into Slytherin. He was relieved to be separated from his brothers, but Harry wasn't sure why.

After the feast, the students left for their dormitories. Harry, Ron, and Hermione proceeded to the dungeons with the rest of Slytherin house. Harry looked around at the cold, slightly moist walls and wondered if the sorting hat had made a mistake. He was soon to find out that it hadn't.

 _A/N: Ok, was that a big enough plot-twist for ya? I hope so because that's about as far from canon as it gets. Please review. Help me entertain you by telling me what you did and did not like. Have an adequate day._ _ **Wondrously Bookish**_


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